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R. W. KENNEDY.

GAS HEATING FURNAGE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. KENNEDY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JONES 8: LAUGHLINS, (LIMITED.)

GAS-HEATING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,485, dated February 16, 1886. Application tiled September 2, 1885. Serial No. 175,978. (No moflcl.)

To @ZZ whom t 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, RoBEnT W. KENNEDY, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania. a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Heating Furnaces, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make 1o part of this specication, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of my improved gas-heating furnace. Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modilied form of the furnace. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a further modification ofthe man- I5 ner of constructing the furnace. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the furnace shown in Fig. 3, the section being taken on the line e e. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line a: Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the spread- 2O ing or distributing tile. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional View, the section being taken on line y y, Fig. 2.

The invention herein relates to certain improved forms of furnace and its connect-ions,

for the purpose of utilizing natural gas as the heating agent; and the object of my invention is to construct such -an apparatus as to eEect a thorough commingling of the gas and air as they enter the combustion-chamber,\or imme- 3@ diately after the ignition of thegas and during its combustion; and to these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

The heating or combustion chamber l, formed by a crucible, as in Fig. l, or by a box formed of fire-bricks, as in Fig. 2, is inclosed within an air or blast chamber, 2, which is preferably formed of iron, as shown. The

4o bottom of the air or blast chamber is covered by several layers of brick, forming a support or foundation for the crucible or box forming the combustioli-chamber. Through the bottom of the airchamber and the combustionchamber is introduced the pipe 3, connected to some suitable gas-supply, and through one wallof the air-chamber, preferably near the top, is introduced the pipe 4, connected to some suitable air-forcing apparatus. In the 5o combustion-chamber is located the spreading or distributing tile or plate 5, arranged a short distance above the end ofthe gas-inlet pipe 3.

In the form of furnace shown in Fig. l, where a Crucible having tapering sides forms the heating-chamber, the tile is made circular in form, and of such diameter as to be supported by the sides of the Crucible a short distance abovethe end oftheinlet-pipe3. Around the edges of this tile or plate are formed a series of notches, 6, forming passages for the es- 6o cape of gas along the sides of the crucible. Through the sides ofthe crucible., just above the spreading or distributing tile, are formed a series of openings, 7, connecting the combustioncharlnberwiththe air-chamber. These holes are formed atan angle to the radii ot' the Crucible, so as to impart a swirling or circular movement around the crucible to the air as it enters the crucible. AIt is preferred that the openings 7 through the crucible should be at their` 7o exit or inner ends in the same vertical plane as the notches 6 in the distributing-tile, in order that the air as it enters the combustionchamber may impinge on the rising currents of gas, and, commingling therewith, impart to the gas a corresponding circular movement.

In cases wherethe combustion chamber is formed of brick, and is therefore quadrangular in cross-section, the spreading-tile 5 is made a little smaller than the internal dimensions of 8o the combustion chambeiythereby forming narrow slits or spaces between the sides of the chamber and the edges of the tile for the passage of wide thin streams or currents of gas. The tile or plate is supported in this form of furnace by short posts or pillars of any suitable material.

The openings 7, for the admission of air into the combustion-chamber, are formed of short sections of pipe arranged between two layers go of brick having the same angular arrangement as in the case of the Crucible above described.

In lieu of either of the above described forms of furnace, it may be constructed as y shown in Fig. 3, where the combustion-cham- 9 5 ber is formed of brick walls, as shown, and in lieu of the surrounding air-chamber 2 a pipe or ring chamber, 8, is arranged on or near the bottom of the chamberl, said pipe or ring being partially surrounded by the walls of the roo chamber, as shown, and provided with a series of tips or openings for the admission of the air from the ring-pipe, which is connected to any suitable air-forcing apparatus, into the chamber 1, said tips or openings being so arranged or constructed as to impart a circular or swirling movement to the escaping air. Below the ring pipe or chamber and preferably somewhat in under 1t, is arrangeda similar ring-pipe, 9, which is connected by the pipe l() with a gas -supply, and is provided with tips or burners ll, so located as to bring their discharge-orifices in close proximity to the discharge-oriiices of the tips of the ringpipe 8, in order that the currents of air and gas escaping from the respective ti ps may impinge against each other and be thoroughly combined or mixed. In order to effect a more thorough commingling 'of the air and gas. I arrange the tips 1l at an acute angle to the ring-pipe 9, but in a direction opposite to the inclination of the tips of the ring-pipe 8, so as to give the gas a swirl in a direction opposite to the circular movement imparted to the air by the tips ofthe ring-pipe 8.

In using the above furnace the pressure of the air-blast should be greater than that of the gas, so that the commingled air and gas will circulate in a horizontal plane, thereby coniining the combustion therefrom within the combustion-chamber. This feature or characteristic of my invention-i. e., confining the combustion Within a comparatively narrow vertical limit-is of especial importance in the use of natural gas, which, on account of small specific gravity, will rise rapidly and separate from the air before perfect combustion can take place, where they are admitted together with- I have shown my improved furnace as applied to the heatingof chain-links preparatory to welding,the combustion-chamber being covered by a tile, 12, provided with holes 13, in which the links are held until sufficiently heated; but I do not Wish to limit myself to furnaces for that purpose, as my invention may be applied with equal or greater advantage to other purposes.

lf desired, the notches 6 in the tile 5 may be formed at angles, so as to impart a swirl to the gas in a direction contrary to the movement of the air, as stated in relation to the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4. l

In the construction as shown in Fig. 3, one of the bricks, as 14, is left loose, so that it can be readily removed for the purpose of cleaning the combustion-chamber.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a heatingfurnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, air-feeding apparatus arranged to impart a rotary or swirling movement to the air within the combustionchamber, and gas-feeding apparatus arranged to feed the gas at an angle to the line of air-feed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a heating-furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, an air-feeding pipe or chamber arranged around the combustionchamber, said chambers being connected by air-conduits arranged to impart a circular or swirling motion to the air as it is fed into the combustion-chamber, and gasfeeding devices constructed to feed the gas at an angle to the line of air-feed, substantially as set forth.

3. In a heating-furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, an air-chamber surrounding the same, said chamber being connected by angularlyearranged air-passages, as described, a gas-pipe entering the bottom of the combustion-chamber, and adistributing or spread tile or plate arranged over the mouth of the gas-pipe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT W. KENNEDY.

Witnesses: Y

DARWIN S. WoLco'rT, G. W. WILLIAMS. 

